In the use of ground engaging tools, particularly vehicle operated tools, for example loaders or excavators, the forward edge sometimes becomes blunted during wear which decreases the penetrating properties and increases the horsepower required. This results in an undesirable waste of fuel, labor and time.
Ground engaging elements have been constructed which wear to a preselected sharpened configuration or break away portions of the element to sharpen the element. Examples of these heretofore utilized ground engaging elements are as follows: U.S. Pat. No. 3,888,028 --White; U.S. Pat. No. 3,755,933 --Lowrey; U.S. Pat. No. 3,312,002 --Benetti; U.S. Pat. No. 3,300,883 --Troeppl et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,149,679 --Johnson et al.
These apparatus provide a limited amount of control over when the cutting edge was sharpened during the use thereof. It was decided, however, that waste could further be decreased by constructing a ground engaging element which had improved control over the cutting edge and which cutting edge would be transformed at a more predictable time during the wearing away of the cutting edge in response to operation of the element.
This invention therefore resides in a ground engaging element having slots extending therethrough and being of a construction and at a location sufficient for controlled breakaway of selected portions of the element in response to forces subjected on the element after the forward edge has been worn away a preselected amount.